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Aldridge: Is JaVale McGee Blazers' "Plan B" After Roy Hibbert?

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David Aldridge of NBA.com reports on Twitter that the Denver Nuggets continue negotiations with restricted free agent center JaVale McGee and notes that the Portland Trail Blazers could be a suitor if their bid to land Indiana Pacers restricted free agent center Roy Hibbert falls through. ------------------------------ Nuggets continue to "grind it out" with JaVale McGee's reps, aware that whichever team (Portland, Indiana) loses Hibbert will have $ available to offer. ------------------------------ Portland agreed to a 4-year, $58 million maximum offer sheet with Hibbert earlier this week. The offer sheet cannot be officially extended until July 11. At that point, the Pacers have three days to decide whether or not to match. Pacers president Donnie Walsh said this week that retaining Hibbert was the team's "first priority." While Pacers coach Frank Vogel said before free agency opened that Hibbert "wasn't going anywhere" there are some who don't view the Pacers matching as a slam dunk. It was reported earlier this week that the Pacers would begin to investigate other potential options at center in case they didn't match on Hibbert. Blazers GM Neil Olshey and president Larry Miller made Hibbert their first stop of the 2012 Free Agency period. Hibbert was reportedly "blown away" by Olshey and company. Hibbert, 25, just completed his fourth season with the Indiana Pacers, posting career-high averages of 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. He played in 65 of Indiana's 66 games last season. Hibbert, listed at 7-foot-2 and 278 pounds, is generally regarded as a top-5 free agent in this year's class and the best available center. McGee, 24, averaged 11.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game in 2011-12. He was traded by the Washington Wizards to the Nuggets at the trade deadline. -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter